During some injuries, soft tissue, such as tendons or ligaments, can tear away from hard tissue, such as bone. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to reattach the soft tissue to the bone in order to facilitate the healing process. Various types of devices are used to reattach tissue, such as screws, staples and suture anchors. The instant invention relates to this latter type of attachment device.
Suture anchors may be inserted into a preformed hole made in hard tissue, while other anchors are self-tapping. The anchors typically include an eyelet through which lengths of repair suture or working suture are threaded, which working suture is inserted simultaneously with the anchor into the hard tissue. In this regard, an inserter device or driver may be utilized in conjunction with the anchor to install or drive same into hard tissue and may carry such working sutures thereon. For the purpose of providing pull-out resistance, some anchors are exteriorly threaded, while others are ribbed or barbed to provide appropriate pull-out resistance.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0063542 A1 discloses a knotless suture anchor for soft tissue repair. The suture anchor includes an outer tubular anchor member having raised teeth spaced thereabout on the inner surface thereof, an inner tubular anchor member having a pointed tip at the distal end thereof and pawls on an outer surface of the inner anchor member that are part of a ratcheting arrangement that enables rotation of the inner anchor member in one direction with respect to the outer anchor member. In this manner, a suture secured to the anchor can be rotated in the one direction to collect suture thread onto a spool portion of the inner anchor member and to tension the suture thread for placing a tendon or other tissue into contact with a bone.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0121348 A1 discloses an insertion tool for rotating an inner tubular anchor member having a pawl with respect to an outer tubular anchor member of a suture anchor. The inner tubular anchor member of the suture anchor includes a square drive socket opening at a proximal end for receiving an inner shaft of the insertion tool. The insertion tool is provided with an outer shaft surrounding the inner shaft and an outer shaft handle for maintaining the position of the outer shaft in engagement with the outer tubular anchor member of the suture anchor. An inner shaft handle is engaged with the inner shaft for rotating the inner tubular anchor member of the suture anchor with respect to the outer anchor member. The distal end of the hollow outer shaft includes a flange for insertion within a slot or aperture in the outer tubular anchor member of the suture anchor and the inner shaft has a square shape or other keyed arrangement for engaging the socket of the inner anchor member of the suture anchor. In operation, the insertion tool rotates the inner anchor member of the suture anchor in the direction permitted by the pawls of the inner anchor member while maintaining the outer anchor member in a fixed position to enable spooling of suture thread and adjustment of the tension thereof. The opposite ends of the sutures are secured to a tendon or other tissue directly or via a second suture anchor and the sutures are tensioned so the tendon or other tissue properly contacts the bone.